All expenditure groups behind the rise in construction prices

News
Posted on 21 April 2023, 8:00

According to Statistics Estonia, in the first quarter of 2023, the construction price index increased by 1.5% compared with the fourth quarter of 2022 and by 12.6% compared with the first quarter of 2022.

The construction price index expresses the change in construction expenditures taking into consideration the price changes of three basic inputs: labour force, building machines, and building materials. The calculation of the construction price index covers four groups of buildings: detached houses, blocks of flats, industrial buildings, and office buildings. The repair and reconstruction work price index covers office buildings.

Ülo Paulus, leading analyst at Statistics Estonia, said that in the first quarter of this year, compared with the first quarter of 2022, the construction price index was primarily influenced by the rising cost of materials, which accounted for 68% of the total index rise. “Compared with the fourth quarter of 2022, labour force was 1.8% more expensive, the cost of using building machines rose by 2.2% and the costs of materials by 1.3%,” explained Paulus. The prices of wood and metal and products made of these materials mostly declined.

Quarterly change in the construction price index and its components compared to previous quarter, 2018–2023

The repair and reconstruction work price index rose by 1.3% compared with the fourth quarter of 2022 and by 13.5% compared with the first quarter of last year.

Change in the construction price index, 1st quarter 2023

 

4th quarter 2022 –
1st quarter 2023, %

1st quarter 2022 –
1st quarter 2023, %

TOTAL

1.5

12.6

   labour force

1.8

9.2

   building machines

2.2

13.9

   building materials

1.3

14.2

Index of detached houses

1.7

11.2

Index of blocks of flats

1.9

14.1

Index of industrial buildings

2.0

12.2

Index of office buildings

1.5

11.2

Change in the repair and reconstruction work price index, 1st quarter 2023

 

4th quarter 2022 –
1st quarter 2023, %

1st quarter 2022 –
1st quarter 2023, %

TOTAL

1.3

13.5

   labour force

1.9

9.1

   building machines

1.8

10.7

   building materials

1.0

15.8

Statistics Estonia collects and analyses data for the construction price index for the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications to understand how the Estonian economy is doing.

See also the dedicated section on prices.

For further information:

Helen Maria Raadik
Media Relations Manager
Marketing and Dissemination Department
Statistics Estonia
Tel +372 625 9181
press [at] stat.ee

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